The Journey is Never Ending
by ArtImitatesSex
Summary: After the events of Chosen, the gang regroup in Cleveland, until old ties intervien with their new lives. Is the gang really ready for another Apocalypse? Please R&R!
1. Let's Begin

**The Journey is Never Ending**

"We are all innocent."

The tattered bus made a stop at an all-purpose gas station, somewhere in Salt Lake City. Leaving the gaping hole that was once Sunnydale behind, they were heading for Cleveland. There were abandoned houses along the highway as they drove for hours on end. Stopping at small General stores to re-patch the girls' wounds. Buffy had finally patched up her stomach wound, but she barely felt the pain. Everyone was in there own little world. Everyone filed out of the bus as Giles stopped it next to a gas pump.

Buffy, Dawn, Faith and Willow all went inside the gas station to go to the bathroom and wash up a bit. The man working the counter gave Buffy a weird look at all the dirt that covered her clothes, and the dried up blood on her shirt. Buffy just managed a half smile and she walked past. Buffy stepped into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She felt so small and broken, of all things. She thought again and again how she should be happy, they won. But, they also lost. Buffy snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Dawn talking. Standing against the wall, she was talking to Willow. Though, Buffy couldn't take herself to look away from her reflection.

"Everything is gone…I can't get around it." Dawn said, putting her hands in her pockets.

Willow bent over the sink and washed her hands. She was still a little jittery from her spell.

"Well, not everything. Remember, we packed up a lot of important stuff into the bus, the night before. We got photo albums and all of Giles' books and Watchers Diaries. I think I remember him saying he wanted to rebuild the Watchers Council." Willow explained. She wiped her hands on a paper towel. Dawn tried to let it all sink in. Buffy still looked herself in the eyes.

"But…I don't understand what happened back there. I mean, one second I beheading some Ubervamp trying to get to Xander and the next, I'm running for my life, watching Sunnydale get sucked into the Hellmouth…" Dawn said, Faith came out of the stall and stood next to her.

"It was that medallion Spike wore…it killed all the vamps…" Faith was about to go on, but was interrupted by Buffy promptly leaving the room. She exited the gas station and made her way back to toward the bus. Soon, the others followed behind her. Dawn with a soda in her hand. Giles was standing at the gas pump with Xander. Xander was stretching his legs and cracking his knuckles. Giles was watching the meter, cleaning his foggy glasses. Buffy stopped midway between the gas station and the bus itself. Watching everything. She noticed Faith walk past her and onto the bus, to tend some more the Robin's wounds. Buffy looked at all the potentials scattered across the station. There were only a small handful of them now. A few of the faces of the dead potentials huddled in Buffy's mind. They were all talking about the fight and what they did during it. Reliving their glory.

Dawn came up from behind Buffy, Root Beet in hand. She started watching the girls as well. She looked over at Buffy, who seemed so dazed.

"I guess their not potentials anymore. Their gonna have to be trained a lot more…" Dawn said, offering her soda to Buffy. Who silently turned it down. Buffy slowly nodded toward Dawn's comment.

"Buffy…what are we gonna do in Cleveland?" Dawn asked. Buffy didn't look over at her; she just looked at the potentials and all of her friends as she quietly answered Dawn.

"Start over." Buffy said simply. She walked towards Giles and Xander. Willow walked past her to give Kennedy a bottle of water. As Buffy stood in front of Xander, her presence got Giles attention as well. Who finally tore his eyes away from the meter to look at the tired slayer.

"Hey Buff." Xander said with a friendly smile. Buffy finally got out of her daze and unfolded her arms. Setting them on her hips. She smiled warmly at Xander. Understanding that he to had lost the person he loved, and they were probably feeling about the same at this point. Buffy turned her attention to Giles.

"How long until we get to Cleveland?" Buffy asked. Giles pulled the gas nozzle out of the bus and put it back on the hatch, pressing a few buttons on the machine.

"Uh…I wouldn't think more than a few hours, if we make good time." He said, watching Buffy carefully. Xander was watching her as well. She knew they wondered how she was, but they didn't want to pry. Buffy began to walk into the bus when Giles' voice stopped her.

"Buffy? Are you allright?" Giles asked to Buffy's back. Buffy was still for a second, then turned to look at him.

"I think I will be." Buffy said. Without another word she stepped onto the bus. She took a seat at the front and looked behind her. There weren't many people on the bus, most were out stretching or using the bathroom. She saw Robin and Faith together a few seats behind her. Faith was wiping some new blood from Robin's stab wound. In the very back, Dawn was cleaning the wounds on Andrew's face.


	2. Lay the fault on you or me?

"I feel terrible." Andrew said. Dawn had a napkin that she had taken from the hot dog section in the gas station and gotten it wet in a fountain, she was using it wipe the blood off of his face. She gave him a weak smile; she knew that he thought he was going to die in the battle, not Anya.

"You don't need to feel that way." Dawn said simply, she was trying to perk up her spirits. She knew what he was going through, losing somebody and thinking its your own fault. She had plenty experience with that.

"But…Anya. She's gone. It's my fault." Andrew said, staring straight ahead of him, into space. He suddenly winced at the pain as Dawn cleaned a cut on his cheek.

"It's not your fault, don't say that. It just…happened." Dawn said. Andrew stopped staring at nothing and looked at Dawn. She continued to clean his face from the angle he was looking.

"Thanks Dawn." Andrew said softly. Dawn smiled at him and gave him a hug. It was the closest they had ever been. Before he was just their annoying hostage, but with everything they had been through, they were friends. It made Andrew feel a lot better.

"Don't worry. It's all over now. When we get to Cleveland, everything will be right again. It's like starting over." She said, half to comfort him and half to comfort herself. They released their hug and Andrew gave a goofy smile.

"Shouldn't I be doing this part? The comforting?" Andrew said and it made Dawn laugh. She continued to clean his face. Eventually everyone boarded the bus again, and they were on their way. To start a new life.


	3. Time to shift into a new Persona

What new life it was, completely. Once they settled in Cleveland, they Potentials scattered. They said it was to cover more ground separately, but everyone knew it was because they just needed to be apart, after living in one house for months. Most of them were sharing apartments around the city. Some living in motels. Faith and Robin got a small apartment together just a few blocks away from the Community College.

Command central became the new Summer's house. A two-story house that they were only able to afford by bringing in everyone's saved money. It was on a quiet street, much like Revello Drive. In the house lived, Buffy and Dawn, Giles and Xander, Willow and Kennedy and in the backyard there was a guesthouse, in which Andrew resided. Dawn and Buffy shared the master bedroom, Willow and Kennedy got the second largest room upstairs and Xander and Giles shared the downstairs bedroom. It was a tight squeeze, but no one minded. Though, they found it extremely hard to deal with the majority of their possessions being destroyed. They had packed away personal things and clothes, but all of the furniture was gone. So when they had money, they would look for nice furniture at the Salvation Army.

Plus, Giles had a lot of money saved up, so food usually wasn't so bad for them. He also packed away his books before the fight, so they had plenty of books for research.

They didn't get to spend as much time together as they usually had though. Even if there was no looming apocalypse, everyone was working to make money. To keep their lives going. Both Willow and Giles got jobs at the local Community College, Giles working as the Librarian and Willow in the computer tech lab. Nobody forgot to make-up a slew of new jokes for Giles becoming a Librarian again. Both Buffy and Andrew got full time jobs at a local diner called "Grandma's Kitchen". They worked as waiters, and enjoyed working there. Although the hours were long, they had each other to keep company. Xander wasted no time in finding a new construction job and even Dawn got a part-time job slinging burgers. With all of them working jobs, it was a bit easier to pay for rent and food but it was still hard to move on. They couldn't forget Sunnydale or the people they had lost there.


	4. Happy Birthday

Soon enough, Dawn was nearing her eighteenth birthday and the whole crew planned a big bash just for her. Buffy got Faith to take over patrolling so that they could have a party together. Everyone was there. Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Andrew, Kennedy and one of Dawns friends from school, Drea.

They all hung out together and ate lots of the world's most fattening foods. Soon, they all sat in front of Dawn to give her the presents that they bought for her. Dawn was ecstatic and quickly got started on them.

Buffy had given her a new halter top and a gold ring. Willow gave her a new leather jacket. Giles gave her a book on the 'Thousand and One Species of Demons'. Xander gave her some money, because he hated shopping for the Summer's women. However, her favorite gift was from Andrew. He gave her a golden locket, in the shape of a heart. It as empty, but that didn't matter to her. She stood and gave him a big hug that made him blush in front of the rest of the group.

The night wore on with dancing and cake but it soon got late. Everyone was overcome by lack of sleep, so they called it a night. After most people had agreed to end the night, Buffy decided that she was going to do one last sweep before she went to bed. Kennedy and Willow went upstairs and Xander went to his bedroom, where Giles soon followed.

"I'll just go…to my mini house." Andrew said, sipping at a Capri Sun. He went out through the back door to his guest house.

"Don't go to bed too late." Buffy said as she grabbed a stake from her chest in the living room.

"Buffy! It's only midnight on a Saturday!" Dawn said, waving her hands emphatically in the air. "And I'm eighteen!" She added. Buffy just laughed.

"Fine, stay awake as long as you like! I'll lock up when I get home." She said as she left the house. Leaving Dawn alone in the kitchen.

Dawn walked upstairs and looked at all over her new gifts once again as she went into her bedroom. She ogled at the locket that Andrew had given her. She put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. She loved that way it shimmers. She looked out her bedroom window t towards Andrew's guest house. She saw the lights on.

She walked downstairs and out the back door. She was barefoot and the grass felt cool between her toes. There was a stone pathway that led to the door of the guest house. A tree covered most of the house by its leaves, but there was an opening around the door. She knocked lightly on it. Seconds later, Andrew answered the door. He was surprised to find Dawn on the other side. He was already dressed in his pajamas for the night and looked like her was ready to go to bed any minute.

"Hi Dawn." Andrew said with a smile. "What's up?" He asked a second later.

"Nothing, can I come in?" Dawn asked.

"Of course." Andrew said, moving out of the way so that she could step in. She walked into the main room, which had a small couch and TV in the corner.

"You know, this is the first time I've been in here." Dawn said, Andrew smiled at her and stood right next to her.

"It's kinda boring. Oh, but I did get that Star Wars poster framed to put on the wall!" Andrew said, pointing at his new poster. Dawn smiled.

"That's…cool." Dawn said. Andrew stood awkwardly, feeling a bit stupid for bringing it up.

"Do you want something to drink?" Andrew asked.

"Sure. Uhmm…Tea?" Dawn asked. Andrew nodded.

"Earl Grey or English Breakfast?" Andrew asked.

"English Breakfast." She said. Andrew nodded again and then walked out of the room to go to the kitchen. Dawn sat down on the small couch. She looked at the videos he had around his TV. He looked through them, and noticed one that was labeled "Buffy, Slayer of the Vampyrs." The one Andrew made before the fight with the First. She put it into the VCR player. Everyone's face shown on the screen. They were all in the old kitchen. Dawn saw her own face. She seemed brighter, like she had something there that wasn't there anymore. Her innocence. Now she looked, aged. Worn.

Andrew walked back into the room with two cups of tea in his hands. He smiled slightly when he saw what she was watching. He came up on her side and gave her her cup. She took a cautious sip as Andrew sat down next to her. They watched the video together.

When Spike's image came on the screen, they both got a little tense. Andrew noticed that dawn wasn't looking at the screen anymore. Andrew paused the video and looked over at Dawn.

"Dawn, are you alright?" Andrew asked. She leaned her head against his chest in distress. She started to cry, against her better judgment. Andrew sat, unsure of how to comfort her. He just let her cry until she was done.

"I just miss him." Dawn said. Andrew wrapped his arms around her. He began to run his fingers through her hair. Dawn yawned and Andrew leaned back on the couch, so Dawn could lie down on his chest. She fell asleep quickly. It was hard for her to get sleep these days. As the night wore on, Andrew fell asleep as well. They slept in a peaceful silence until the sun rose.


	5. Right and Wrong

When the sun did rise, Buffy returned home from her patrol. She was the only one awake as she entered her home and went straight up the stairs. She went into the room that she shared with Dawn, and threw her jacket on the bed. Then, she noticed that Dawn's bed was empty. Panic flooded over her, as she pounded down the stairs and ran into Giles' and Xander's room.

"She's missing! Get up! Dawn's gone!" Buffy screamed quickly before exiting the room just as fast as she came in. Leaving both the men startled and worried. Buffy then ran through the back door into the backyard. She entered Andrews's guest house without knocking. She looked at the couch and saw Dawn laying there with Andrew. She was about to scream out Dawn's name when she saw the face that was frozen on the T.V. screen. She hadn't seen his face in months. She quietly picked up the remote and pressed play. Spike resumed his actions. He was lighting a cigarette.

"Andrew, what have I told you. Get that bloody thing out of my face!" Buffy started to tear up immediately from hearing his voice. Buffy as so overwhelmed that she stormed out of the small house just as Andrew and Dawn were waking up.

"Buffy?" Dawn asked, concerned. She and Andrew exchange a look as Dawn stands up to go follow her sister.

Buffy was inside the house, washing dishes to try and take her mind doff of both of the things she just saw. Spike and Dawn sleeping on Andrew. Dawn walked through the backdoor and walked straight into the kitchen. Before she knew what to say, Buffy was on the attack.

"Why were you in Andrews's house all night?" Buffy asked.

"We were watching a video, we both just fell asleep." Dawn explained.

"Sure, like I'm going to believe that!" Buffy said loudly, ass she walked out of the kitchen through the narrow halls of the house.

"What are you saying?" Dawn responded as she followed her sister. Buffy turned around so quick to face her sister, that Dawn barely had time to react and not slam right into her.

"I'm not going to let you get with a guy like that!" Buffy yelled.

"Buffy, we didn't do anything! And a guy like what? Andrew wasn't like Jonathan or Warren. He's a good person! He helped us defeat the First!" Dawn said, looking deadly standing there in the hallway. At this point, Xander and Giles had walked out of their downstairs bedroom to see what all the commotion was about. Willow and Kennedy came down to the stairs seconds later.

"Have you forgotten who he is? He's the reason I almost killed all of you? Do you remember that? And the only thing he helped with was getting Anya killed!" Buffy yelled, not thinking of Xander who was standing just feet away.

Buffy's slip of tongue had hit Xander hard. Everyone else was watching in silent horror. Dawn couldn't stand the situation, so she bolted for the backdoor. Buffy stood alone in the hallway, almost in tears. Willow walked down the stairs and walked up to her best friend. Buffy looked up and saw her, but quickly looked away in shame.

"I'm not going to let her ruin her life for him." She said as she hugged Willow. Xander looked away from his two best friends and left the room. Buffy's words still ringing in his ears. Buffy soon released the hug and walked up the stairs to wash the night's patrol off her skin. Willow looked at Giles and Kennedy with worry playing on her facial features.


End file.
